The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1887-01-05

is there no way out of this long
night of bondage, from this thraIdom
of mental darkness ? Oh for Boan-
erges with voice of apocalyptic
thunder to shake off this enervating
squalor Of the soul, and split in
twain the leaden ornaments and let
in floods and oceans of all-healing
light. And may some Moses speed
lily appear on the scene and give the
command to forward, march! to the
Capaan Of deliverance
IF North Carolina would place a
proper estimate upon her highest
interests she cannot longer withhold
her fostering care from the farmer
and the farmer boy. There must
be some legislation in their behalf,
and now is the opportune time.
Allow me to suggest beginning
point. Let the present Legislature
make liberal appropriations for es-
tablishing Agricultural Institutes in
every county Of the state, where
every farmer in each and every
county may be taught how to farm
and how to live. And also establish
an agricultural and mechanical col
lege, wisely located and literally
furnished with every needed appli-
ance so that it may be universally
beneficial all over the State. 1t Is
an urgent, crying necessity that the
common farmer shall have some
aid, some comfort, some help. Shall
they forever plod and toll and suffer
on and continue to pour into the
State Golfers their thousands in tax
es for the general good with such
meagre returns to themselves? The
flimsy attempts in the past to give
him relief are about as futile as to
try to raise good colt on dry stub
BILE or stall feed an OK on chaff and
thin air. What good is there to
the farmer of all this hue and cry
about dogs killing sheep and loudly
calling upon the State to afford
some protection against the incur
sions of the worthless and hungry
ours? Until | am smarter than a.
sheep killing dog have no business
to make fool Of myself by trying
to raise sheep. / would not give
snap of my finger for all the dog
"whereases," "provided further
more and "alsos'' of every statute
and Legislative enactments that
could be crowded into all out of
doors. And besides every general
assembly since the spring that
Ring was puppy has been as
afraid of this dog question as they
would be to meet the devil in his
night clothes. Yes, sir! They
would fly from it's simplest consider
alton as they would from the open
j tws Of the all-devouring whang
doodle For one | say let the dog
question rip. I can kill more dogs
in week than all the kennels in
the country can spawn out in a
month. You see [ practiced medi-
cine occasionally for twenty years.
But there are other pressing needs
Of the farmers Of the country that
the legislators can take hold Of and
r,nder invaluable aid and if their
patriotic zeal is as fervent now as
when they were before the peo-
pie for their votes-it was red hot
then-the ey will not hesitate
but will gladly do all in their power
to better the condition of the ''dear
people" All they lack is to know
what will best subserve the farming
interests and promote the general
good and it should be the purpose
of the farmers convention to say
what they want done and suggest
line Of state policy towards the
farmer
The State cannot longer ignore
this, the most important factor In
all her varied interests, but should at
once show it's appreciation of the
men who are it's main stay and solid
support by liberal effort to raise
them up and out Of their present
dreadful estate. This in a great
measure may be done as already in
timated by establishing the county
Institute through which the mass of
the present generation Of farmers
may be reached and pulled out of
the old ruts and the boys now on
the farm may be taught the elements
of better system of agriculture,
and thereby be the better prepared
t, prosecute a ahigher course of study